Machine for sealing envelops.



G. A. BURR. MACHINE FOR SEALING ENVELOPS.

I I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1908. 1,074,772

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

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MAGHINE FOR SEALING ENVBLOPS.

APPLICATION FILED smmm, 190s.

1 @74,772, I Patented OCT). 7, 1913.

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MAOHI E 0R SEALING ENVELOPS.

APPLI 1' ON FILED SEPT.12,1908.

1,074,772, Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

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4 SHEETS-S O. A. BURR.

MACHINE FOR SEALING BNVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1908.

LWQWQQ Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

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UNTTETE STATES Fff jltll CHARLES A. BUBR, 0F NORWICH, NEVJ YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO J. STEVENS ARMS & TOOL COMPANY, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SEALING ENVELOPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 7,1913.

Application filed September 12, 1908. Serial No. 452,707.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BURR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of Chcnango and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Sealing Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for preparing matter for mailing, and particularly to machines for sealing envelops, and its object is to provide a simple and efficient machine which will securely seal envelops with great rapidity and with the minimum of attention on the part of an operator. Aside from the maintaining of a supply of envelope to be sealed and stamped, and also a supply of postage stamps, operation of the machine is entirely automatic.

The invention comprises essentially a suitable holder or receptacle for envelops, into which the matter to be mailed has already been inserted and the envelope are subjected one at a time to the action of a mechanism provided for the purpose of moistening the adhesive material on the flap of the envelop. Then the envelops after being moistened are fed to a mechanism which folds the flap down upon the body of the envelop and then forces the moistened adhesive portion of the flap into intimate contact with the body of the envelop, so that the said envelop is effectually sealed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which drawings Figure l is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a section on the line A-B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section Similar to that of Fig. 2, but having parts omitted and showing the other parts in a different phase of operation. Fig. at is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3 in a different phase of operation, and with the envelop reservoir omitted and the casing Shown in section on the line CD of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the feed rolls for the envelops.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a suitable casing 1 designed to partially inclose and to sustain the working parts of the machine.

Journaled 1n the casingl between the two side members thereof is a roller or drum 2 having a series of equally spaced annular grooves 3. One side of this drum 2 throughout the length thereof is cut away to form a substantially segmental pocket 1-, lying to one side of the axis of the cylinder and formed with a slightly curved extension 5 entering the body of the roller to one side of the axis thereof. Extending longitudinally of the body of the roller at one edge of tlie segmental pocket or recess isa groove 6 receiving one end 7 of a moistening pad 8, which latter is arranged to project slightly beyond the periphery of the roller 2. The pad 8 may be made of felt or sponge, or some other suitable material capable of receiving and carrying water and giving up the water on pressure.

In the bottom of the casing 1 there is located a pan 9 designed to receive and retain water, and in this pan there is journaled a roller 10 of suflicient diameter to extend from near the bottom of thepan to a point above the top thereof, and this roller 10 constitutes a transfer roller for the Water in the pan and its upper edge is in the path of the pad 8, so that when the drum 2 is rotated in a manner to be described, the pad will be brought into contact with the roller 10, once for every revolution of the roller or drum 2. The roller 10 is made of some moisture absorbent material such as felt, so as to retain the water absorbed thereby. The roller 10 is mounted in the path of the pad 8, being slightly rotated each time it is engaged by said pad and therefore fresh surfaces are being progressively immersed in the water in the pan 9, and the roller is thereby kept wet. At the same time the yielding nature of the pad 8 and of the roller 10 will cause a transfer of water contained in the roller 10 to the pad 8, when the said roller is engaged by said pad. The pad 8 is thus moistened at every revolution of the drum 2.

At each end of the casing 1 there are erected standards 11, having slotted bearings 12 for the journals of another drum or roller 13 which latter is formed on its outer surface with a helical flange 1% extending from one end of the said drum 13 to the other end thereof. This flange 14 extends radially from the drum 13 to an equal extent throughout except at one end where one or two turns are of less radial extent as shown at 15, and at the same relative portion of the periphery of each turn of the flange 14, it. is flattened as shown at 16 throughout the length of the drum, for a purpose which will presently appear.

Near one end of the drum or roller 13 on a turn of the helix 14, there is a block 17 of rubber or other elastic material project.- ing radially from the drum 13 and having formed on it at its outer end near one edge a radially projecting tongue 18. The function of this block 17 with its tongue 18 will appear farther on. Seated in the. periphery f the flange or rib 14- about midway of its length is a small block 19 of rubber or other suitable material projecting radially a short distance beyond the periphery of said flange.

Resting upon the casing 1 to one side of but adjacent to the drum 2 is a plate 20,,extending lengthwise of the casing parallel with the drum 2, and provided at the edges with downturned flanges 21 fitting within the casing, while the edges of the plate extend beyond the flanges and rest on the upper edges of the adjacent portions of the casing. A portion of one side of the plate 20 where it faces the drum 2 is cut away as shown at 22, and upon the plate 20 there is n'lounted a receptacle 23 designed to receive envelope as indicated at 24. The top and one end of this receptacle may be open so as to accommodate envelops of different lengths and to facilitate the introduction of the envelops into the receptacle. The bottom of the receptacle is cut away as indicated at 25 similar to the cut away portion 22 of the plate 20.

Extending across the casing 1 beneath the plate 20 is a shaft 26 journaled in the sides or ends of the casing and about midway of the length of this shaft there is mounted thereupon in fixed relation thereto a. finger 27 projecting substantially radially from the shaft and slightly curved in the direction of rotation of the shaft. The end of this finger is designed to enter the receptacle through the cut-away portion 22 of the plate 20, and the cutaway portion 25 of the bottom'of the receptacle, and to engage an envelop 24 within the receptacle in a manner which will be hereinafter described. For convenience of description that portion of the drum 13 carrying the block 17 and whereon the helical rib or flange 14 is of less radial extent will be called the forward end of the drum.

The drum 2 is not as long as the drum 13 and stops short of the forward end of the latter as best shown in Fig. 4, and consequently there is a space between the last named end of the drum 2 and'the corresponding end of the casing 1. The pan or trough 9 also stops short ofthe end of the casing 1, since it extends but a little farther than the drum 2.

It will be observed that in the drum or roller 2 there is a central annular groove 3 and other grooves 3 on each side of the central groove. Extending lengthwise of the drum 2 closely adjacent thereto and on the side remote from the reservoir 23 is a shaft 31 journaled in the ends of the casing 1. This shaft carries an annular series of substantially radial curved fingers 32 opposite each side groove 3 of the drum 2 and entering such grooves as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

On the same side of the drum 2 as is the shaft 31 but more remote therefrom are feed rollers journaled in the end walls of the casing l. Inthe drawings two pairs of these feed rollers are shown and it will be understood that one pair may be used or more pairs of feed rollers may be used 1f.

found desirable. Beyond the feed rollers is a delivery table or guide plate 34. i

Let it be assumed that any suitable type of motor, say an electric motor, or a spring motor or any other type of motor is coupled up to the machine, say to the shaft upon which the drum 2 is mounted and that the several rotatable parts described are geared together for movement in the proper sense and at the proper speed. A ny suitable type of connecting means may be used but in the drawing the several rotatable parts are shown as connected by gearing. The shaft of the drum 2 carries beyond one end of the casing 1 a gear wheel 35 in mesh with another gear wheel 36 on the corresponding end of the journal of the drum 13 so that these two drums rotate'in opposite direc tions. 1 At one end of the shaft 26 is a pinion 37, and since in the operation of the machine the shaft 26 should turn in the same direction as the drum 2, the pinion 37 is connected to another pinion 38 on the shaft of the drum '2 by an interposed idler 39. In the operation of the machine the feedrollers should also turn in the same sense as the roller 2. The lower members of each pair of feed rollers has its shaft provided with a pinion 40. An idler 41 conveys power from the gear wheel 35 to the pinion 40 of the nearer pair of rollers 33, while another idler 42 transmits power from the pinion 40 of the next pair of rollers 33. The upper members of the pairs of rollers have their journals under the control of springs 43. The

purpose of the springs 43 is to elastically urge the upper rollers 33 into engagement with the lower rollers 33 so as to grip any objectintr'oduced between them and move such object in the proper direction.

'3 The wall of the receptacle 2 3 acent to the drum '2 is shortened so as to form a mouth 44 fort-he escapeof the envelops' as will presently appear.

In the operation of the machine thus far described the shaft 26 is rotated until the finger 27 enters the receptacle 23 through the opening 25 in the bottom thereof and its curved end engages the flap of an envelop at the bottom of the receptacle, it being understood that all the envelops are laid in the receptacle with the flap downward and toward the mouth 44 of said receptacle. As the finger 27 continues its movement it forces the flap out of the receptacle through the opening 25 therein, and through the cutaway portion 22 of the plate 20, and the flap is ultimately forced outward until it rests in the segmental pocket 4: in the drum 2 as indicated in dotted lines at 45' in Fig. 3. The finger 27 on its continued rotation passes into the central groove 3 of the drum 2 and finally out of the same, and ultimately engages the second envelop fiap after the first mentioned envelop has been removed from the receptacle in a manner which will pres ently appear.

The parts are so timed that as soon as the flap 15 of the envelop has been directed by the finger 27 into the pocket 4, the moistening pad 8 is brought up against it and the continued rotation of the drum 2 causes this pad to wipe across the adhesive material on the inner edge of the flap of the envelop, and at the same time the flap is elevated by the engagement therewith of the said moistening pad.

While the flap 45 of the envelop is being elevated by the moistening pad the flattened portion 16 of the drum 13 is passing in juxtaposition to the drum 2. As soon however, as the pad 8 moves out of engagement with the flap 15 of the envelop the block 19 projecting from the rib or flange 14 about midway of its length, but arranged to engage the periphery of the drum 2 a little to one side of the central groove 3, clamps the end f the flap of the envelop just back of the adhesive material to the periphery of the drum 2, and so causes the envelop to be withdrawn from the receptacle 23 by the continued rotation of the drums 2 and 13, the rib or flange 1% then progressively engaging the flap and finally the enevelop to feed it forward between. the said drums 2 and 13. As soon as the flap of the envelop has passed from between the drums 2 and 13, it engages one of the fingers 32 radiating from the shaft 31, and because of the curved shape of these fingers the flap is directed downward toward the shaft 31, causing a partial rotation of said shaft. lltimately the flap end of the envelop is presented to the first pair of rollers 33, but since the flap has been bent downwardly by engagement with the fingers 32 the first pair of rollers tend to fold the flap against the envelop in position for sealing and since the adhesive material has been moistened, the rollers will force the flap into adherent relation to the body of the envelop.

A single pair of rollers 33 will answer in most instances for the sealing of the envelop, but to insure the sealing it is advisable to have at least two pairs of rollers as shown in the drawing. After passing through the rollers the envelop is delivered on the table or slide 34 to be conveyed into a suitable holder.

While the moistening pad 8 has been de scribed as though it were one continuous structure from end to end of the drum 2, it will be observed that it is discontinued at each groove 3 so as to permit the passage of the fingers 27 on the shaft 26 and of the fingers 32 on the shaft 31.

It sometimes happens when extra thick envelops are passing through the machine that the roller 13 may be lifted to such an extent away from the roller 2, that their gears are moved out of mesh. To avoid this contingency the gear 40 meshing with the idler 4t1, is made to mesh with a pinion S t, outside the casing 1, and this gear is in mesh with another idler 85, in turn meshing with the gear 36 of the shaft of the roller 13. By this means the drum 2 is always in connection with the drum 13 for positively driving the latter in the proper direction, even when the drum 13 is so elevated by a thick envelop that the respective gears 35 and 36 are moved out of engagement one with the other.

In order to avoid the possible sticking of the moistened flap of the envelop to the drum 2 when the envelop flap is passing between the drums 2 and 13, a portion of the periphery of the drum is cut away as indicated at 86, for a distance commensurate with the length of the flap, and projecting studs 87 of rubber or other suitable material, are carried by the cut-away portion 86 so as to engage the flap in the area thereof not occupied by the mucilage or other adhesive. This provides for the proper feeding of the envelop between the rollers by the flap, with out danger of causing the moistened flap to adhere to the roller 2. The extent of the depression 86 is such that when the main body of the envelop is reached it is engaged by the main body of the drum 2 on one side and the flange 14 of the drum 13 on the other side. While in the drawings four blocks 87 are shown. it will be understood that a greater or less number may be used as desired.

There is a possibility that the point of the flap of the envelop may be drawn around the drum 2, instead of passing directly into the fingers 32, and, to prevent this, there is provided a bar 88 extending across the machine at the delivery side of the roller 2, and this bar carries the finger 89, entering the middle groove 3, so that the point of the flap of the envelop will be carried away from the periphery of the drum 2, and be directed toward the fingers 32 at the corresponding point on the shaft 31.

That is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelops, a pair of feed rolls, one of which is cut away to form a pocket and means for turning the flaps of the envclops successively forward from the bodies of the envelope into position to be grasped by the feed rolls.

2. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelops, a pair of feed rolls, and a rotatable finger movable into the receptacle into engagement with the flap of an envelop and adapted to turn the same forward from the body of an envelop into position to be grasped by the feed rolls, one of said rolls being slotted circumferentially to permit the passage of said finger.

3. In. a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelope, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelops, a pair of feed rolls, one of which is cut away to form a pocket to receive the envelop flap and having also a circumferential slot, and a rotatable finger movable into the receptacle into engagement with the flap of an envelop and through said circumferential slotand adapted to move the flap out of the receptacle into position to be grasped by the feed rolls.

4. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelops, a pair of feed rolls, one of which is cut away to form a pocket, a moistening device mounted in said pocket, and a rotatable finger movable into the receptacle into engagement with the flap of an envelop and adapted to move the same out of the receptacle into the path of the moistening means.

5. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelope, means for moistening the flaps of the envelops, and a rotatable finger movable into the receptacle into engagement with the flap of an envelop, and adapted to move the same out of the receptacle into the path of the moistening means.

6. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, having at its bottom an opening of a size permitting the passage of the flap of an envelop while retaining the body portion. thereof, a rotatable finger adapted to enter the receptacle through the bottom opening ima thereof and to engage the flap of the lowermost envelop in the receptacle, and moistening means timed to engage the flap of the envelop when moved out of the receptacle.

7 In a machine of the character described, means for supporting an envelop in a substantially horizontal position with the flap thereof pendent, means to turn the flap forward and a moistening means for said flap engaging and elevating the same while traversing the adhesive portion of said flap.

8. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening for the passage of the flaps of the envelops, while retaining the body portion thereof, means for projecting the flaps of the cnvelops one at a time from the receptacle, a moistening means adapted to engage and elevate the flap of the envelop and at the same time apply moisture to the adhesive port-ion thereof, a carrier therefor, and means coacting with and in operative relation to the carrier for the moistening means for grasp ing the flap of the envelop after being acted upon by the moistening means and withdrawing the said envelop from the receptacle.

9. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops, said receptacle having an opening at the lower end for the passage of the flap of an envelop, a rotatable finger adapted to enter through the opening in the receptacle and engage the flap of the lowermost envelop and move the same out of the receptacle to a pendent position, a rotatable drum in operative relation to the receptacle and provided With a cut-away portion for the reception of the projected flap of an envelop, a moistening means carried by the drum and adapted to engage the adhesive side of the envelop flap, and another drum in operative relation to the first named drum and adapted to coact with the first drum to grasp the flap of the envelop after being moistened and to withdraw the said envelop from the receptacle.

10. In a machine of the character described, a pair of feed rolls means for turning the flap of an envelop away from the body, means carried by one of said rolls for moistening the adhesive material on the flap of the envelop while it is turned away from the body,means for engaging and directing the flap of the envelop toward the body thereof, and independent means for pressing the moistened flap with the adhesive side into intimate contact with the body of the envelop.

11. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops having an opening at the lower end for the passage of the envelop flap while retaining the body of the envelop, a rotatable finger adapted to enter the body of the receptacle through the opening at the lower end thereof and to engage an envelop flap to move the same out of the receptacle, a rotatable drum in operative relation to the receptacle and provided with a cut-away portion to receive the projected flap of an envelop, a moistening pad carried by the drum and adapted to engage the adhesive side of the envelop flap and elevate the said flap, another drum in operative relation to the first named drum, and adapted to coact with the first named drum to engage the envelop flap and withdraw the envelop from the receptacle, rotatable arms in the path of the flap of the envelop after it passes between the drums and adapted to direct the envelop flap toward the body of the envelop, and sealing rollers in the path of the envelop after it leaves the drums and adapted to force the moistened flap into intimate engagement with the body of the envelop.

12. In a machine of the character described, a receptacle for unsealed envelops having at the bottom an opening for the passage of an envelop flap while retaining the body of the envelop, a rotatable finger adapted to enter the receptacle through the opening at the bottom thereof and to engage and project the flap of the lowermost envelop in the receptacle, a rotatable drum having a cutaway portion adapted to receive the projected flap of the envelop, a moistening pad on said drum on one side of the cut-away portion and adapted to engage the adhesive side of the envelop flap and elevate the said flap, a water receptacle below the drum, a transfer roller in the water receptacle in the path of the moistening pad on said drum, another drum in operative relation to the first-named drum and provided with a cut-away portion adapted to permit the passage of the moistening pad on the first named drum without engagement with the second named drum, means on the second named drum for engaging the flap of an envelop and clamping the same to the'first named drum for the withdrawal of the envelop from the receptacle, means in the path of the flap of the envelop after it passes between the two drums for directing the flap of the envelop toward the body thereof, and sealing rollers in the path of the envelop after it leaves the flap directing means for forcing the envelop flap into intimate contact with the body of the envelop and thereby completing the sealing of the envelop.

13. In a machine of the character described, feeding drums or rollers for envelops, one of said drums having a portion coacting with the flap of an envelop cut away coextensively with the envelop flap, and provided with studs or projections engaging the flap interior to the adhesive material thereon.

14. In a machine of the character described, feeding drums or rollers for envelops, one of said drums having the portion coacting with the flap of the envelop cut away coextensively with the envelop flap and provided with elastic studs or projections engaging the flap interior to the adheside material thereon.

15. In a machine of the character described, feeding drums or rollers for the envelops, one of said drums yielding to varying thicknesses of envelope, direct gearing between the two drums and supplemental gearing for maintaining the driving connection between the drums when the yielding of the one drum is abnormal.

16. In a machine of the character described, means for moistening the adhesive material on the flap of an envelop comprising rotatable drums, means coacting with the moist face of the flap for preventing it from following the corresponding feeding drum, means for engaging and directing the flap of the envelop toward the body thereof, and means for pressing the moist flap with the adhesive side into intimate contact with the body of the envelop.

17. In a machine of the character described, feeding drums for the envelop, one of said drums having means for applying moisture to the adhesive on the flap of the envelop, a finger coacting with the moistening drums to direct the point of the flap away from said drums, means for engaging and directing the flap of the envelop toward the body thereof, and means for pressing the moist flap with the adhesive side into intimate contact with the body of the envelop.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. BURR.

Witnesses JOHN L. NASH, HARVEY B. DANIELS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

